


Stealth

by Uncle_Riko



Category: Love Live! School Idol Project, Love Live! Sunshine!!
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-17
Updated: 2017-10-30
Packaged: 2019-01-18 14:03:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12389568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Uncle_Riko/pseuds/Uncle_Riko
Summary: Because she was an Android, plain and simple.





	1. Chapter 1

Blind acceptance wasn’t a unanimously shared sentiment, nor should it logically have been. But when the alternative was unnecessary amounts of fear and animosity, acceptance, regardless of its form, should have surely prevailed.

See, they looked like humans, acted like humans, yet they weren’t humans. Doubt, fear, and hatred began to spread, shrouding society in a perpetual blanket of uncertainty. How could you trust anyone anymore when the very fundamentals of humanity had been shattered?

Laws were put into place, the logical reaction to such a pervasive and growing threat. After all, the humans had brought them into this world; they alone were to be held responsible for the containment, the dismantling of their own creations. It was no simple task, however. While the humans had created them with the intent of aiding mankind, as many feared, they took on a life of their own. But, unexpectedly, world domination, enslavement of the human race, none of these things were of any interest to them. The Androids just wanted to live normal, peaceful lives, just as their creators did.

 

* * *

 

“Hi, what can I get you?”

There was always a tell, something that gave away their identities. A twitch, an eye turn, something. In even the most assimilated Androids, their conscious efforts to appear human were just that: efforts made visible to others.

Dia, in her line of work, had learned to pick up on such cues. But today, she was busy behind the bar; she didn’t have time to over-analyze the subtle nuances of each of her customers.

The woman before her was young, certainly no older than Dia herself. She had dark auburn hair that cascaded neatly, well past her shoulders. Her amber-colored eyes darted nervously, arbitrarily – something Dia would’ve normally picked up on. The woman would eventually fish a small whiteboard out of her purse, displaying a pre-written message to Dia.

 

_Hot chocolate, please_

 

That was more than enough to grab Dia’s attention. The nervousness and lack of speaking were clues, sure, but, as the young woman certainly knew, this particular bar had a screening order for people like her. And that order just happened to be something very few people ordered at bars: hot chocolate.

She was an Android.

Dia peered curiously at the woman. She was young, beautiful, no outwards signs of artificiality. It wasn’t uncommon for Androids to come to this bar, after all, this was one of the few Android-friendly establishments in town. But it’d been a hot minute since Dia last had an Android customer, and never had she seen one so breathtaking.

“…First time here?” Dia finally managed to reply, grabbing the mug for the hot chocolate. She hadn’t seen the woman before; she certainly would’ve remembered her. Rather, Dia was hinting at something else.

See, venturing out in public for the first time was a big deal for Androids. It was no surprise that the bar saw many first-timers, given the amount of hostility found just about everywhere else.  And from the whiteboard and lack of speech from her customer, Dia had a hunch that she was the first interaction this woman had had in the real world.

The redhead nodded her head, eagerly.

Dia offered a smile in return, as warm and comforting as she could manage. “Could I get your name?” It was a stretch, Dia knew as much, gauging the shyness of her customer. But she found conversation was the best way to warm up to someone, well, that and a nice hot chocolate certainly helped.

The woman reached into her purse, pulling out a small cloth. She quickly erased the writing on the whiteboard, replacing it with a new message.

“Riko, huh? Well, Riko, this one’s on the house.” Dia slid the mug towards the redhead, watching as her face light up with delight upon wrapping her hands around its warm exterior. She took a careful sip, recoiling as the burning liquid singed her lips. “Careful,” Dia teased, “it’s a bit hot.” She leaned forward and began to blow on the contents of the mug, motioning for Riko to do the same.

As far as Android encounters went, this one was turning out to be pretty standard. In social infancy, they were just as juvenile as a toddler would be, curious and clumsy, speech often jumbled and incoherent. Riko was probably aware of that fact and knowingly chose to use the whiteboard to communicate. But Androids were blessed with a great deal of innate intelligence. That meant learning and adapting to society would take no time at all. In fact, it was Dia’s mission, that by the end of the night, she’d get Riko to talk.

“How is it?” Dia watched amusedly as Riko gulped down the now tepid chocolate with moderate fervor.

The redhead smiled at Dia, giving her a thumbs up.

“Um, Riko…” Dia tried to stifle a laugh, “you got a bit of…uh…” She casually signaled to her lip, watching the redhead tilt her head curiously, oblivious to the frothy mustache that adorned her face. She handed Riko a napkin, the redhead’s cheeks flushing as she figured out what Dia was alluding to.

It was crazy to think that Androids could feel such emotion: embarrassment, anger, happiness, love. Usually it’d take something a lot stronger than hot chocolate for them to show their true colors, but perhaps Riko was different. The way she joyfully sipped her drink, the way she blushed in response to Dia’s various attempts to tease her, it was refreshing. She wasn’t a puzzle, something Dia needed to solve or decipher. She was just an ordinary girl.

 

...

 

Dia checked her phone. It was almost two in the morning. “Alright, Riko, bar’s closing soon.” She surveyed the bar. Various stragglers were making their way to the exit from the seating area, but Riko was the only one remaining at the counter. She’d been here for almost four hours.

Riko cleared the multitude of downed hot chocolate mugs in front of her, making room for her whiteboard.

 

_I don’t feel so good, Dia_

 

The bartender laughed. “You drank a lot for one sitting. I think a little nausea is expected.”

Riko hiccupped, sulking dejectedly on the bar. A glaring thought entered Dia’s mind. She had never thought to ask about Riko’s living situation, or really any personal details about her.

“Hey…do you need a place to stay tonight? You could rest up at my place, until you’re feeling better, at least…”

Riko looked at her curiously, her face strained as if this decision was expending a lot of energy. She hastily erased her whiteboard before scribbling her response.

 

_That would be great…thank you_

 

* * *

 

Dia flicked on the lights. She’d been living in the studio above the bar for a couple years now. She’d figured the small hike up a flight of stairs was better for Riko than the trek back to…wherever she was headed. It wasn’t uncommon for an Android to have wandered into the bar, with no place to call home. Many times they’d left a family, their _creators_ , in search of a better life. Dia knew better than to make such assumptions about Riko, but she couldn’t bear the thought of someone as sweet as her wandering the streets alone.

“Here.” Dia rifled through her drawers, pulling out a night gown. “You’re a little shorter than me, but it should still fit."

Riko nodded her head in compliance before lifting her shirt above her head.

“Whoa, what’re you doing!?” Dia hastily covered her eyes. “G-Go to the bathroom to change!”

Surprised, and slightly confused, Riko simply nodded once more, scurrying off to the bathroom.

Dia sighed. Riko still had a long way to go, it seemed. She could already feel the urge arising, the urge to take this girl under her wing, stay with her, take care of her until she was safely assimilated into society. But Dia wasn’t a miracle worker or a charity. She took pride in being there for these people, being a shoulder to lean on. But Riko was just another customer.  She couldn’t play favorites just because what, because Riko was pretty? No, Dia had more self-control than that. She’d let Riko stay the night, but after that, she was on her own.

Riko returned soon after, blinking curiously at Dia who was setting up a futon on the ground. She pointed to herself, as if asking for clarification.

“No, you get the bed tonight,” Dia responded, “I’ll sleep on the futon.”

Dia shut the lights before crawling into bed. She glanced over at Riko, who stared intently at the ceiling. She could only guess what was going through her mind.

“Good night, Riko,” Dia yawned, before closing her eyes. She’d had fun talking to Riko, getting to know her. But once the morning came, that was the end of it, plain and simple. Dia couldn’t keep looking after Riko, no matter how much her heart begged her to. Nothing could change her mind, nothing—

 

“…Good night, Dia.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> on this week's episode of guess the metaphor


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> holy cow I didn't realize how difficult this fic would be to write. I don't know jack about robots or how they act

Dia awoke to the smell of something burning. Her gaze instinctively snapped towards the bed, finding it not only unoccupied, but the sheets and blankets folded neatly, no trace of the redhead from the night before. So, either her apartment had spontaneously combusted, or—

She burst into the kitchen “Riko! Are you ok—”

The redhead was at the stove, clutching what looked like a pan of eggs. She bustled around the kitchen, seemingly unfazed by Dia’s disgruntled appearance. She pulled out a chair for Dia, beckoning for her to sit.

“…Y-You made me breakfast?”

Riko nodded her head eagerly, a proud smile plastered across her face.

Dia surveyed the spread before her: burnt toast and burnt eggs. She smiled, grateful, yet hesitant. “Thanks, but listen, you didn’t have to—”

Riko scurried out of the room, returning with her whiteboard in-hand.

 

_You were very kind to me yesterday, I have to thank you somehow_

 

“…You talked yesterday,” Dia sighed, coldly reminding her, “you don’t have to use the whiteboard, you know.”

The redhead pursed her lips, as if debating to voice her reply. She scribbled her response instead.

 

_I’m not very good at speaking :(_

 

“You spoke just fine yesterday, in fact, I thought you had a very lovely voice—what? W-why are you blushing!?"

Riko’s eyes stared intently at the floor, the aforementioned blush increasing in intensity. “M-My face feels hot. I-Is that normal…?”

“O-Only when you’re…embarrassed…”

“O-Oh, I see…I guess I’m not quite accustomed to being embarrassed _..._ ”

Dia felt her own cheeks growing warm. Damn it, she’d never be able to kick this girl to the curb, she was too freaking adorable. “L-Listen, you don’t have to be shy around me o-or whatever, I’m not gonna make fun of you or anything…”

“O-Ok…” Riko nodded, bringing her hands to her cheeks in an effort to slow the spreading warmth. She noticed Dia twirling her fork arbitrarily, barely touching her breakfast. “Is the food not to your liking…?”

“…What? No, no, it’s fine!” Dia snapped back to reality, vigorously attempting to clean her plate; the disheartened look on Riko’s face was killing her. “I-I was just thinking…”

“…About what, if I may inquire?”

Dia set the fork down, scratching her head. She’d spent a good deal of time lying awake the previous night, thinking about how she wanted to go about this conversation. “Do you…do you have a place to stay, Riko?” Damn it, that certainly sounded like an offer, not a question. She winced; already, she could feel her resolve wavering.

Riko fell silent, staring blankly into Dia’s eyes before writing her answer down.

 

_I do but…_

 

“…But what?”

 

_I’d rather not go back_

 

Dia’s heart sank. She was afraid that might be the case. While she had no problem lending a helping hand, it wasn’t that simple. Riko was and Android, that made things anything _but_ simple. Sure, that was no excuse, but Dia could feel her heart beating fast; she couldn’t let her emotions get the best of her.  Any semblance of logic right now was the clear choice here. Because as selfless as it looked, Dia would be the first to admit that she wouldn’t mind having Riko around for a little while longer. And that’s what worried her. Was she doing this for Riko’s sake, or her own?

“…Do you want to stay here with me?”

 

...

 

Riko had accepted her offer with very little hesitation. All she wanted was to be a functioning member of society, after all. I-It’s not like any prospective feelings toward Dia had anything to do with it… But regardless, Dia knew it’d be a challenge to get Riko acclimated if she was just lazing around the apartment all day. It made sense then, that she should spend as much time around people as possible. And Dia knew exactly how she could do that.

“How do you feel about being a waitress?”

Riko perked up. “What does that entail?”

“You basically ask customers what they want to eat and drink, and you relay it to the kitchen.”

“Isn’t that what you do, Dia?”

“I’m a bartender, I actually make the drinks. Waitresses don’t make any of the food, unfortunately.” _Or fortunately,_ she mused, _no offense to Riko’s home cooking._

“Oh, ok! Sounds fun!”

“I’ll ask my manager to see if there are any openings available. It shouldn’t be an issue though, we’re always looking for new hires.”

Kanan was the owner of the bar, and as progressive as they came. Surely, she wouldn’t object to hiring an Android. Buuut, just in case, Riko’s identity wasn’t _exactly_ relevant, certainly Kanan wouldn’t mind if Dia _accidentally_ left that part out—

 

...

 

“Thought you could sneak an Android past me, huh, Dia?” Kanan smirked, as she and Riko approached the bar. “You should know me better than that.” Damn, had Dia been that transparent? But then again, she hadn’t been there for the interview – had _Riko_ been that transparent? “I have an opening for a waitress though, so you’re hired!”

“Huh?” The two uttered in unison.

“You’ll be a fast learner, Riko. And being a cutie, never hurts.” Kanan winked before heading off, leaving Riko in Dia’s care once more.

“I don’t really understand…” Riko muttered.

Dia shook her head in disdain. “Don’t mind Kanan, she can be a bit much sometimes. Anyways, we have some time before opening, so why don’t we get you started? I have a menu here, you should familiarize yourself with all the food and drinks.”

“Ok!” Riko scanned the menu thoughtfully. “…Wait, Dia, where are the pictures? And the descriptions?”

“Hm?”

“Of the food! How do people know what they are ordering if they cannot see physical representations of it?”

“We’re just a bar,” Dia stifled a laugh, “nothing too fancy, most of the items on the menu are pretty common.”

“And what about the drinks? Some of them are named after places…or people!”

Dia laughed. Of course Riko looked at everything so logically. “Well, that’s where being a bartender comes in handy. But you’ll learn all the drinks in time, just come ask me if you have any questions about those.”

“O-Ok!” Riko’s hands trembled ever-so slightly as she read through the rest of the menu. It seemed not all Androids were as stoic as commonly depicted.

“Don’t be nervous,” Dia reassured her, taking Riko’s hands in her own. “You’ll be great.”

 

* * *

 

“H-Hello! Welcome to our fine establishment! Would you like to be seated in the dining area or at the bar…?”

The couple smiled at their alarmingly audible host. “Dining area is fine, thanks.”

The afternoons were pretty slow, it wasn’t until nighttime that things would start picking up. Dia had since finished her prep work for that evening, so she decided she could afford to tag along with Riko, just to make sure she didn’t royally screw things up.

“P-Please, look over the menu!” Riko bowed forcefully, to Dia’s subtle amusement.

The couple gladly accepted the menus, growing increasingly uncomfortable however, when they realized Riko was hovering over the table, staring intently at them.

“Riko!” Dia facepalmed. “Give them some space, you don’t have to watch them read over the menu!”

“O-Oh! I sincerely apologize!” The redhead bowed hastily once more before scurrying away.

Dia, too, offered her apologies, citing Riko’s inexperience. The couple didn’t seem to mind, if anything, they exhibited _far_ too much patience for the remainder of the meal. Especially when Riko took Dia’s suggestion to heart, and decided not to check up on them.

 

“I-I’m sorry!” she spouted, as they apprehensively flagged her down. “W-What can I get you?”

She listened carefully to the orders, writing them down on her whiteboard. She could probably get away without it, but she figured that was the waitress-y thing to do.

“Ok, is that all? Your total comes out to $34.97—”

Dia clapped a hand over Riko’s mouth. “Customers pay at the _end_ of the meal, Riko. This isn’t a fast food joint!”

“Ah! I’m sorry!”

 

As the food came out of the kitchen, Dia found Riko loading up plates and drinks on her arms. “R-Riko, you might want to use a tray for those…”

“Nonsense, Dia!” Riko touted, confidently. “It’s all about center of gravity, as long as there’s meridional balance, everything should stay put!”

“W-Whatever you say…” Dia watched nervously as Riko hobbled over to the dining area, a sassy thumbs-up pointed in Dia’s direction upon her success. She shouldn’t have been surprised, such calculations were mere child’s play to someone like her. 

 

“E-Excuse me sir! Y-You left some money on the table!” Riko’s customers had since made their way to the exit.

“That’s for you, Miss, a tip for your hard work.”

“O-Oh, t-thank you very much!”

Riko walked back to the bar, a thoroughly confused look on her face, “I don’t understand Dia, don’t we already get paid?”

“Not enough, Riko, _trust me._ ”

 

...

 

As day turned into night, the bar began filling up. Despite her earlier screw ups, Riko seemed to be adjusting quite nicely. She was quick on her feet and able to work herself out of trouble, self-inflicted or otherwise. Her impeccable time management skills allowed her to cover the whole dining floor by herself. It looks like Kanan had been right – she was, indeed, a fast learner. Lucky for Dia – it was a busy night, after all – she wouldn’t have been able to abandon her own post to babysit Riko all night.

Time slipped away as customers came and went in the blink of an eye. Dia usually found her work tedious, and boring, but she was enjoying watching the redhead bustling around. She didn’t mind scolding or teasing her either, if that meant seeing the utterly precious looks of embarrassment on her face. And, at the very least, it looked like Riko herself was having fun too.

 

“Hello, ma’am, do you know what you’d like?”

“Mmm…I’ll have a hot chocolate, please.”

“…P-Pardon?” Riko’s pen stopped immediately, as she finally looked upon her customer.

The old woman smiled warmly at Riko. “It’s rather cold outside, don’t you think? Something warm to drink would really hit the spot.”

“O-Of course, coming right up—"

“Oh, and dear?”

“…Y-Yes?”

There was glistening, knowing sense of reassurance in her eyes. “You’re doing a fine job.”

 

Riko walked back to the bar in a haze, “Dia, I just got an order…for a hot chocolate…”

“Huh? The woman over there?” Dia turned her head, glancing at the old woman. “…Oh yeah I recognize her, she's been around here a couple times.”

“S-So, she’s…you know…like me?”

“Probably.” Dia shrugged.

“What do you mean, ‘p-probably’?”

 “You know, I never ask customers point blank if they’re Android. Maybe she just likes hot chocolate—"

“Then how did you know I was one?” Riko cut her off, a fierce determination reflected in her golden eyes.

“Huh? I-I don’t know...probably the whiteboard? I’ve seen the same thing a couple times, sticky notes, pads of paper. I guess, after you work here a while, you just pick up on those sorta things. And you did mention it was your first time at the bar.”

The two fell into a thick silence, drowning out the rest of the bar. Riko pushed the whiteboard towards Dia.

 

_Why, then?_

 

 “…Why what?” Dia retorted.

“Why did you go out of your way to be kind to me?” Riko pleaded. “W-Was it because I’m an Android…?”

“Did it look that way to you? That I did what I did just because you’re an Android?” Dia sighed. “Whether you like shots of tequila, or mugs of hot chocolate, I treat all my customers the same.”

“So…you’ve let other customers come live with you?”

“Well no…”

“So why am I different??”

“W-What do you want me to say, Riko?”

“Oh, I don’t know, the truth?”

Dia recoiled in surprise. The sarcasm was one thing, but she never expected Riko to fly off the handle like that. “You want the truth!? Honestly, I was worried about you! You’re so helpless and fragile, I couldn’t just let you go back to wherever the hell you came from, to whatever nightmare awaited you! You’re so kind, and innocent and beautiful…I…I was selfish. I wanted to be the one that was there for you, your shoulder to lean on. I just want to see you live a normal life! That’s all…”

Riko simply stared back, stunned. Her cheeks wore a familiar red hue.

“D-Don’t look at me like that, Riko…”

“Why not…?”

“You’re making me feel something…something I-I shouldn’t be feeling—”

Riko placed her lips on Dia’s cheek. They were soft, alarmingly so.

“If it’s any consolation, I think I’m getting that same feeling.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> get back to work you two
> 
> \- Kanan, probably


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> boi this got hella dark

“Tsk, tsk.” The blue-haired woman leaned over the bar, watching idly as Dia collected the dirty glasses.

“Don’t say a goddamn word, Kanan!”

“I actually thought you two were going to make out right there in front of the customers.”

“Y-You shut your mouth! I-It’s not like that at all…”

“Is that so? ‘Ooh, Riko, you’re making me _feel_ things!~’” she mocked, exaggeratingly.

Dia buried her face in her hands, not to be reminded of her earlier, embarrassing display. “Yeah, yeah, I get it, ok!? I just…I just need time to think things over…”

Kanan rolled her eyes, “Ugh, ever since I’ve known you that’s all you ever do: overanalyze things. For once, you should just go with the flow! Ask her out already!”

“I’ve known her for _two_ days, Kanan.”

“You guys are _living_ together, I think you got the order a little mixed up there. Besides, you two obviously have the chemistry.”

“T-That’s not the point!” Dia huffed, averting her gaze. An empty sigh followed; she knew she couldn’t keep firing off petty excuses. “…L-Look, you know, as well as I do, that there are certain… _laws_ , regarding relationships between humans and Androids. I’d rather not get myself – or worse, Riko – into any trouble...”

Kanan fell silent. So that’s why Dia was hesitant. “…Well, at least hear what Riko has to say about all of this, ok? I don’t think things are as black and white as you make them out to be.” She gave Dia a reassuring smile, but it was obvious Dia had too much on her mind for it to be at all effective. “Go, I’ll finish and lock up. You got tomorrow off, why don’t you and Riko go do something fun?”

 

* * *

 

“So, how did I do today, Dia?” Riko was setting up the futon when Dia walked in. She would simply not allow Dia to sleep on the floor two nights in a row. “Hopefully, my performance was satisfactory?” she grinned, seemingly self-satisfied.

Dia scoffed, jokingly. “It was a decent effort, _rookie_ , but it was a slow day, we’ll see how your next shift goes.” She toned down the chiding playfulness, “Speaking of which, Kanan gave you tomorrow off, right?”

“Yep. She said she wanted my first couple shifts to be with you, since we work so well together!”

“I-Is that so…?” Dia found herself blushing. _S-Stupid Kanan doesn’t know when to keep her mouth shut._ “W-Well in that case, do you want to…you know…do something tomorrow?”

Riko tilted her head inquisitively. “As in the two of us? Together?”

“Y-Yeah…unless you have a problem with that…?”

“Of course not! It’ll be my first time on a date!”

“I-It’s not a d-date!” Dia stammered, still flustered. “J-Just think of it as hanging out…”

“‘Hanging out’?”

“Y-Yeah, you know, like two friends spending time together…” Dia winced, the last thing she wanted was to friendzone herself.

“O-Ok! But what do friends do when they spend time together?”

Dia breathed a sigh of relief, the conversation having shifted to more tangible matters. “Well, you didn’t bring much with you, so I was thinking we can go shopping. Maybe get you some new clothes?”

Riko’s eyes lit up, much to Dia’s surprise. “I would like that very much, Dia!”

 

* * *

 

The mall was crowded for a weekday afternoon. Dia felt anxious, paranoid, walking with Riko beside her. It’s not like Riko was going to be clocked, nor were they holding hands or anything of the sort; Dia had no reason to be worried other than the uncertainty of her’s and Riko’s relationship plaguing her mind.

She mentally chastised herself. _You should be enjoying your day off, damnit. Stop worrying. Just look at how happy Riko is._

There was a healthy spring to the redhead’s step, and along with the frequent humming and constant comments about how bright and colorful everything was, Dia could tell Riko was in a good mood.

The two dipped into the nearest department store. It was a store Dia had been to before, so she knew the selection was at least halfway decent. She honestly found shopping rather boring, and was guilty herself of not updating her wardrobe very often. She could tell though, by the wonder-filled expression on Riko’s face, that things would be at least a little more entertaining this time.

“Ok, before you get any ideas, there are fitting rooms to try the clothes on.” The last thing Dia wanted was a repeat of the other night. “If you need help with the sizes or trying things on or whatever, l-let me know, I-I’ll help you…”

“Hm? Dia, your cheeks are red! Could it be that you’re embarrassed?” Riko wondered aloud.

“I-I’m fine! Just holler if you need me!” Dia fled decisively to the opposite end of the women’s section. She could stand to be away from Riko right now, at least until she cooled off.

 

...

 

“How does it look, Dia?” Riko stepped out of the fitting room, giving Dia a little twirl and a curtsy. She was wearing a white top with a blue blazer, a pale-yellow skirt to finish the ensemble. Dia was awestruck.

“You look gorgeous…” she uttered, this time unable to take her eyes off Riko.

The redhead just smiled sheepishly, pulling the curtain back to take another look in the mirror.

It was easy, in that moment, to forget Riko was an Android, what with that wholesome smile and her rose-hued cheeks. Such a display of emotion was anything but artificial. But that’s just who Riko was. She was silly and made mistakes. She was easily embarrassed, but confident and clever. She loved chocolate and spending time with friends. How could she be anything but human?

“...Riko, I’m gonna go buy some coffee, I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

Riko peeked her head outside of the fitting room, Dia having gone before she could reply. It had been obvious to her that Dia wasn’t quite herself today.

Dia sat inside the coffeeshop, awaiting her order, constant chatter filling the fragrant air. It wasn’t like her to run away from her problems, but that’s what it felt like she was doing. As much fun as it was spending time with Riko, eventually they’d have to have the talk that so eagerly awaited them.

She knew Kanan was right, human-Android relationships weren’t as cut and dry as Dia depicted them to be – Dia happened to know that first-hand. But the law, no matter how irrational or reprehensible it seemed, was binding – _Riko_ happened to know that first-hand. She chose this life of her own volition. A life where she couldn’t be a teacher, or a writer, or a scientist. She couldn’t hold office, or even vote. And she couldn’t marry or start a family. The Android-governing laws were hardly accommodating, nor were they meant to be. After all, the intent of these measures was to discourage Android assimilation. To most, it was a wonder why they would choose such a life. But ultimately, society offered them something their previous lives couldn’t: an opportunity. Opportunity of expression, emotion, experience – a restricted freedom was more enticing than no freedom at all.

Compliance with rules and regulations would be straightforward, expected at the outset, but fleeting complacency wasn’t a trait reserved solely for humans. It wasn’t unreasonable then, that an Android might wake up one day, wanting the same rights as their sentient brothers and sisters.

 

...

 

“Here.” Dia poked her hand through the fitting room curtains, handing Riko a coffee cup.

“What’s this?”

“It’s hot chocolate.”

“Huh? O-Oh, thank you…” Riko pulled the curtain back, dressed in her original clothes. She gathered all her to-be purchases and joined Dia on the small bench across the fitting room. She sipped the beverage cautiously, as Dia had taught her to. But as she looked over at the stoic and contemplative woman, the urge to mention the hot chocolate’s deliciousness left her.

“Riko,” Dia spoke, breaking the tentative silence.

“Y-Yes?”

“Do you plan to live the remainder of your life…as an Android?”

Riko blinked curiously at Dia, who refused to return eye contact. “…What do you mean?”

“Are you proud of your identity…? I guess what I’m asking is, would you give it up, to become human?”

“Huh?”

Dia continued, “You have the looks, and you’re getting the hang of the mannerisms. Passing as a human would be no problem for you.”

“Why are you asking me this now…?”

Dia felt her voice rising. “Because as it stands, you can’t vote, or hold a respectable job or get married – don’t you want any of those things? Don’t you want to be able to order a hot chocolate at a bar, simply because you like it…? Isn’t that the point of you coming here, of learning to act like a human?”

She was being selfish, she knew that. But even if this wasn’t about her relationship with Riko, Dia hadn’t lied when she said all she wanted was for Riko to have a normal life. She just needed confirmation that that was what Riko actually wanted too.

“I…I guess I never really thought about it,” Riko whispered, quietly. “I just want to be…happy. Just being able to fit in has made me so happy already, I…I don’t know…”

It was an easy decision. Purely semantics. Yet the fact that Riko didn’t have an immediate answer made Dia realize that things like semantics didn’t matter to Riko. It seemed foolish almost, her mentality, foolish but courageous.

 

* * *

 

The two walked home in silence, more than enough evidence that Dia had thoroughly and utterly destroyed the mood at the mall. They didn’t even get around to talking about their relationship, which is the one thing Dia had set out to do. But if it was any consolation, the shopping bags on Riko’s arm meant at least one of them had been successful in their endeavors.

“Ok, I’m making dinner tonight, any requests?” _Gotta make up for ruining the mood back there…_

“Ooh, Dia’s making dinner? Make me your specialty! I’m sure I’ll enjoy whatever it is!”

 

...

 

“So Riko, we never got around to talking about last night…” Dia poked at the food on her plate. She glanced over at Riko, whose plate was almost empty. Hey, at least she was enjoying the food.

“Hmm? What happened last night?” the redhead responded, mouth agape as she chewed.

“Y-You kissed me, remember?”

“Oh! That’s right…” Riko’s cheeks flushed a dark red upon remembering.

Dia paused tentatively, trying to arrange the words in her mind, “I brought up that whole conversation earlier because I…well…I like you and I want to be with you…” she paused once more, Riko giving her undivided attention, “It’s just, relationships can be…complicated when there’s an Android involved…”

Riko set her fork down, staring directly into Dia’s azure-green eyes, “I thought about what you said earlier.”

“Eh?”

“I had a feeling that’s what all of this was leading up to. Dia, I love you. I had a feeling it was love after the first sip of hot chocolate, and was absolutely certain of it by the last sip. I don’t care if people see me as an Android or a human, or if I’m ostracized because of my identity. But if that means not being with you…well, I’d do anything to change. Because this feeling of love, this feeling I get every time I’m around you…that’s what happiness is to me.”

 

* * *

 

Dia sighed, finally breaking out of rhythm with Riko who breathed softly, sleeping nestled in her arms. Riko made her the happiest girl in the world, but it was a bittersweet happiness, dark chocolate in a sea of milky, pure emotions. Riko made everything seem so effortless, so inconsequential. Her happiness was rooted in the idea of people seeing her for her, not as a human or an Android. Dia wished that Riko could hold onto that innocence, that sense of identity. After all, that’s where she and Riko differed; she didn’t want Riko to end up like her. Dia had learned the hard way, that happiness was afforded only to those whom society looked upon kindly. Her happiness was rooted in her humanity, not in people seeing her for her. But despite her exhaustive efforts, her flawless execution, Dia would never truly be human.

Because she was an Android, plain and simple.


End file.
